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Photos from walk on Thursday 5th January from Goring to Crays Pond & Gt Chalk Wood


There was an awful lot of high fencing along the path out of Goring

 

Eventually opening out, with a mound of old man’s beard or ‘traveller’s joy’ (Clematis vitalba). The French name for old man’s beard is ‘herbe aux gueux’ – the beggar’s or rascal’s herb. This is a reference to its use by beggars; they used its acrid sap to irritate the skin to give it a sore and ulcerated look – in order to induce sympathy in, and perhaps a donation from, passers by! [source]

 

Looking out of Wroxhills Wood

 

A view of Elvendon Priory garden. From a distance it looks like a steep wall, but it slopes at about the same incline as the steps

The Priory is a listed building originally established during the 11th Century by a local religious order. Extensively re-built in the 1920s, for most of its history the Priory has remained a private residential and farming property.

Goring Gap History website has an account from a lady who, when young, live near the priory from 1930 to 1945.  Her father was chauffeur at the Priory from 1927 to 1945. There were six cars: a Rolls, a Bentley, a shooting brake, a Sunbeam Talbot, and two others. The Priory electricity was supplied by a large belt-driven engine, for which Dad was responsible when he was at home.

 

By the time we left the shelter of the woods and crossed this field it was getting damp

 

Later, a touch of sunlight in Great Chalk Wood

 

Ivy berries (some of the remaining fruit available for birds) are now quite black – presumably ripe and at their best

 

Not much insect life at this time of the year, so here’s a common bluebottle fly (Calliphora vicina), which apparently does better (than other flies) in cold weather

 

Still some fungus about, although not as plentiful as in the autumn. All ID’s are best guesses, with the help of Google and a couple of mushroom apps.

 

First, White Brain fungus(Exidia thuretiana)

 

And now Lilac bonnet (Mycena pura)

And these two pictures appear to be the same fungus, i.e. Hairy curtain crust (Stereum hirsutum)

 

Finally, from right at the start of the walk, a false fungus: pumpkinii.


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